Shoes
by IndyGirl89
Summary: It's Rapunzel's first official appearance since returning home, and she's very nervous. But it's not the people or even her duties that has her anxious; it's the fact that she has to wear shoes. But Eugene promises to make it worth it. One-shot.


**Wow, will you look at this? Something other than Frozen! I thought I'd try my hand at my most favorite animated Disney movie, Tangled. I actually started this months ago when I was trying to think of more Frozen fics, but it wasn't working out at the time, so I abandoned it. Turns out it was lucky that I saved it. R** **ecently, I decided to pick it up again and see if I could finish it, and I did. I hope you enjoy this foray into another Disney fandom. :) DISCLAIMER: I do not own Tangled or any of its characters.  
**

* * *

The sun shone brightly on the kingdom of Corona. The air was filled with excitement and anticipation, for today was a very special day. Today was the first day of celebrating the return of the lost princess, Rapunzel. No one but her parents (and the young man who had brought her home) knew the truth about who had kidnapped and hid the princess and why. When the king and queen had first found out that their daughter had returned, they had hardly dared to believe it, and upon seeing her for the first time, they had been uncertain that the young woman with the closely cropped brown hair was their blonde baby girl who had been stolen from them eighteen years ago. But looking at her more closely, with her big and bright green eyes and her now brown hair, she was the spitting image of the mother she never knew she had. There was no doubt in their minds that this beautiful young woman was their little girl. Upon realizing this, they had hugged her tightly as though they had never been separated.

The village surrounding the castle that just a few days ago had been filled with grief and sadness now burst with happiness. Decorations of all kinds were being put up all over, from streamers and banners to flowers and small emblems of the sun. People flocked to the courtyard beneath the balcony of the castle, waiting to catch a glimpse of the long-lost princess. They had been waiting for this day for eighteen years.

But the excitement outside in the village square was nothing compared to that inside the castle. Servants could be seen bustling about with last-minute preparations, being instructed by the king and queen. They were already dressed in their formal clothes, which were in varying shades of yellow, gold, and white, and they were wearing their crowns. There was only one person who wasn't quite ready yet.

Rapunzel sat on the floor of her bedroom, a box open in front of her with tissue paper spilling out. She was wearing a floor-length gown of a pinkish-purple color with capped sleeves and lace decorating the bodice and hem. One of her feet was bare and the other had a small purple shoe dangling off her toes. She was frowning at it, unsure what to do with it. She had never worn shoes before. She had spent the first eighteen years of her life locked up in a tower, forbidden to go outside, and therefore had had no reason to wear shoes. But now that she was the princess, it was somewhat expected of her.

Princess. The word seemed so foreign to her. How could she go from being an isolated girl in a tower to being a princess of a rich and prosperous kingdom in just a matter of a few days? True, she had wondered if she had any family other than Mother Gothel, but she had refused to tell Rapunzel anything about other possible family. But now that she had a real family, she hardly dared to believe it.

She never thought she would find someone who loved her for who she was, not what she had. Though she no longer had her long, golden hair, she still had the power to heal, as was evidenced by the tear that had brought Eugene back to life. In just a few days, her entire world had shifted.

Absently, she reached behind her shoulder to grasp a lock of hair and start twirling it, something she had done so often the past eighteen years when she was deep in thought about something, but her hand felt only air. Though she liked the lightweight feeling her short hair gave her head, she sometimes missed having strands to twirl, if only to keep her hands busy. Both her parents and Eugene had assured her that it would grow back eventually, but she still worried that once it was cut, it would stay that way. She had never had a real haircut, after all. It was one of many new experiences for her.

She looked down at Pascal, her little chameleon friend. He had been there with her through everything. Even though he couldn't talk, she had still been able to tell him everything and considered him her best friend. He was the only friend she had had while living in the tower.

"How did I get here, Pascal?" she whispered. Pascal just climbed up onto her knee and looked at her with his big eyes. He seemed to sense what she was thinking.

She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear the door open and Eugene come in. He looked very handsome in a dark vest over a crisp white shirt and dark pants and boots. "So, let's get this shindig on the road," he was saying, but then stopped when he saw Rapunzel. She was still sitting on the floor with a shoe dangling off one of her feet. Her brow was furrowed and she frowning at it as though unsure what to do with it.

Eugene's face immediately turned to one of concern. "Hey, you all right?" he asked, sitting down beside her.

"Yes," said Rapunzel softly. "Just...lost in thought, I guess."

"About what?" Eugene asked, brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes.

"Everything," Rapunzel answered, still in that soft voice. "How did I get here?"

"Well," said Eugene, chuckling. "I saved you from Gothel, then you saved me, and then I brought you back home. To your _real_ home."

"That's not what I mean," said Rapunzel.

"Then what?" Eugene asked, a little confused.

"I mean," said Rapunzel, finally looking at him, "how did I get to this moment in time? In my life? Everything's happened so fast. Just a few days ago, I was an ordinary girl – well, as ordinary as I could be living in a tower for eighteen years – and now I'm a princess of a large kingdom. I knew there had to be a reason for Moth—Gothel keeping me in the tower, but I guess I was too young and naïve to question it."

"Hey, hey," said Eugene soothingly, placing a gentle kiss on her temple. "It's all over now. Gothel's dead, and you're safe with your family. With me."

"Yes," said Rapunzel, smiling. "With you." And they shared a brief but tender kiss. "Now I'm afraid I distracted you from your original purpose. Was it important?"

"Not really," said Eugene, smiling. "Just wanted to see if you were ready for today's festivities, that's all. I'm not entirely sure, but I think it's a requirement for the princess to be a part of them."

"I know, but I just can't figure these out," said Rapunzel, frowning again.

"Can't figure what out?" Eugene asked, though he knew perfectly well what she was talking about.

"These!" said Rapunzel, gesturing at the shoe still dangling off her foot and the one still in the box.

"They're called shoes, Blondie," said Eugene, smiling again. "You put them on your feet to keep them from getting dirty."

"I know what they are," said Rapunzel, scowling at him. "Moth—Gothel wore them all the time, but I never have, and I don't know how they'll feel. I don't know if I'll even like them. I'm so used to going barefoot, you know."

"Well, they're not so bad once you get used to them," said Eugene.

"Easy for you to say," said Rapunzel, continuing to scowl at the shoes.

Eugene gave a long-suffering sigh. "Okay, I'll tell you what," he said. "If you promise to endure at least one day wearing shoes, then I promise to make up for it later."

"By doing what?" Rapunzel asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Something you'll only find out after holding up your end of the deal," said Eugene, smiling again.

* * *

The day passed in a flurry of activity. Eugene watched from a distance as Rapunzel performed her royal duties almost without fault, Pascal on her shoulder the whole time. To the unsuspecting eye, it would look as though she had been doing it her whole life.

The day's festivities started out with a special ceremony, where the king and queen presented their long-lost daughter and (though she had been one her whole life, despite not knowing it) crowned her as princess. Then there was time set aside for the people to speak to her and welcome her back. It was during this time that Eugene decided to get playful. Rapunzel was talking to a mother with two young children and was hugging the older one when he carefully and skillfully swiped the crown from her head. It was only after she had said goodbye to them that she noticed her crown was missing. Knowing immediately who took it, she turned to Eugene and extended her hand for it. It only took a little bit of persuasion (namely, a kiss) to get it back.

Once the "official" events had concluded, it was time for the fun to begin. Food stalls were set up and a band started playing, with Hook-Hand, one of the thugs from the Snuggly Duckling, as the spotlighter, by special request of the princess. Once the music started, Rapunzel was one of the first to go out and dance. She danced with everyone, male and female, big and small, young and old, while Eugene seemed more content to stand on the sidelines. However, despite his protests, Rapunzel managed to pull him out for a few dances.

"How are your feet?" he asked her as she led him through a waltz. It was a fairly simple one, but as Eugene had never really danced before (besides the one they had shared on her birthday), she had to teach him on the spot.

Rapunzel looked down at her feet encased in the small purple flats. "Okay, I guess," she answered, before looking back up at him. "They hurt a bit, but I've been having so much fun, I've hardly noticed. By the way, you had better hold up your end of the deal later." She narrowed her eyes playfully at him.

"Oh, don't you worry," said Eugene, smirking. "I have something very special in mind for you."

After that, they didn't get many chances to talk. During a break in the dancing, the couple was swept away by Rapunzel's parents to meet the many dignitaries that had attended. All of them welcomed Rapunzel home and wished the family well. There followed a meeting of the council. After more welcomes and well-wishes, there was a brief discussion of Rapunzel's future as princess and, eventually, queen. The royal couple barely had time to breathe before they were being seated for a lavish dinner. A few hundred courses later (or so it seemed to Eugene), there was more dancing to finish out the evening. Eugene glanced sideways at Rapunzel to see how she was doing under all the pressure. She appeared to be doing very well despite the fact that she had only discovered she was a princess a few days ago. She was smiling and laughing with her mother. But upon closer inspection, her eyes were starting to show tiredness.

It was very late at night by the time the last of the revelers had gone home. But before the royal family could retire themselves, they had a brief meeting about the schedule of events for the next day. At long last, they were able to retire to their respectful rooms. By this time, Rapunzel looked dead on her feet. Ignoring royal protocol (as he wasn't technically royalty, anyway), Eugene swept her into his arms and carried her bridal-style upstairs to her room. Rapunzel smiled and snuggled deeper into his arms. She stirred only when he deposited her gently on her large four-poster bed. Pascal crawled up onto her pillow and curled up next to her head.

Rapunzel's room had originally been designed as a nursery, but her parents had never had the chance to use it as such. But in the few days since her return, they had had it completely redecorated to fit a young woman. The blankets and bed hangings were a royal purple, as was the upholstery. The walls were done in a very light shade of lavender with the kingdom's sun emblem stenciled around the top near the ceiling. There were two nightstands, one on each side of the bed, a delicate vanity beyond the end of the bed and a large wardrobe across from the bed on the right-hand side with a changing screen in the corner next to it. A porcelain washstand with matching pitcher stood in another corner, an open door to the right of the vanity led to the en-suite bathroom, and in the corner to the right of the door stood a magnificent marble fireplace. The floor was a light hardwood with a large area rug under the bed.

"How are you feeling?" Eugene asked, sitting next to her on the edge of the bed.

"Exhausted," said Rapunzel through a huge yawn.

Eugene chuckled. "Yeah, I can see that your royal duties are already starting to take a toll on you," he said. "It's something you're not used to yet. But I must say, you were doing very well despite that."

"Oh, hush," said Rapunzel, sitting up.

"No, I mean it," said Eugene, smiling.

"Do I have to use this?" Rapunzel asked, threateningly raising her frying pan over her head.

"Whoa, whoa, Blondie, easy!" said Eugene, raising his hands in front of his face to ward her off. "Where have you been hiding that? I thought you left it in the tower?"

"Under my pillow," said Rapunzel, lowering it again.

Eugene narrowed his eyes at her. "You sleep with that thing under your pillow?"

"Of course," said Rapunzel matter-of-factly. "Did you think I would go anywhere without it?"

"Why would you need that when you have me?" Eugene asked, a look of mock hurt on his face.

Rapunzel rolled her eyes. "Well, you won't always be around me," she said. "Besides, if I learned anything during our adventure, it was how to defend myself."

Eugene smiled at the memory of their adventure together. "Okay, fair point," he said. "Shall we get ready for bed, then?"

"Wait, what about our deal?" Rapunzel asked.

"What deal?" Eugene asked, feigning forgetfulness.

"The deal we made this morning," Rapunzel answered. "About the shoes?"

Eugene pretended to think hard. "I think I recall," he said slowly. "Remind me?" He smiled again.

Rapunzel sighed. "This morning, you promised me that if I were able to endure at least one day of wearing shoes, you would make up for it. I held up my end of the deal, now it's your turn to hold up your end."

"Now I remember," said Eugene, continuing to smile. "Tell you what; why don't you change into something more comfortable first?"

"Okay," said Rapunzel. She got up, kicked off her shoes (with a bit of difficulty), and padded barefoot across the room, where she disappeared behind her changing screen. She emerged a few minutes later, wearing a short-sleeved, lacy purple nightgown with matching robe. She came back over to the bed and climbed up next to Eugene.

"How are your feet?" he asked.

"Tired," Rapunzel answered. "And sore."

"Here, give me one," said Eugene.

"Give you one what?" Rapunzel asked.

"One of your feet," Eugene answered. When Rapunzel didn't move, he took hold of her left foot and put it in his lap. He gently starting kneading it.

"What are you doing?" Rapunzel asked.

"Making good on my promise," Eugene answered.

It took Rapunzel a minute to realize that he was massaging her foot. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the headboard, enjoying the feeling. Eugene took his time, making sure each muscle was loosened and relaxed before moving on to her other foot. When he had finished with both of her feet, she was almost asleep. He tucked her into bed before settling himself next to her. She snuggled her face into his shoulder.

"How are your feet now?" he asked.

"Mmm, so relaxed," Rapunzel murmured.

"I was hoping you would feel that way," said Eugene, gently kissing the top of her head. There was a moment of silence, then he whispered, "You are my new dream."

"And you are mine," Rapunzel murmured back.

They fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

 **I thought it would be fun to write a story about Rapunzel wearing shoes for perhaps the first time and I think it worked out well. I hope you enjoyed it. :)  
**


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